Further develop personal and professional leadership skills, fostering innovative thinking.

(In addition to live, classroom sessions, students complete a two-year strategic business plan on their own credit union, broadening their perspective of the overall organization.)

Courses are:

Offered in the summer unless otherwise noted.

Subject to change.

Course Descriptions

Adaptive Leadership in an Age of Chaos (New Course)

Dr. Robert Smith - The University of Tennessee

New course - under construction.

ALM Fundamentals

Vicky Salkeld - Cornerstone Credit Union League

A fundamental understanding of the financial management process is core to credit union success. During this class, Vicky challenges students to see beyond their credit union size, complexities, or current position as she lays the foundation, covering:

New chief growth officer for Cornerstone Credit Union League and Credit Union Resources, Barb Lowman is a well-regarded industry thought leader who, in this insightful session, will explore the need for credit unions to strike a balance in their channels strategy. Lowman will touch on five key takeaways, including:

Knowledge is power—know who you serve and how they wish to be served;

A relevant digital bundle is becoming “table stakes”;

Focus is shifting to a blended digital payments strategy;

Adoption is vital to your success; and

Debunking the myth: credit unions will still need branches in the digital age.

Barrier Breakers: Collaborating to Success (Mid-Year / New Course)

Sam Taft & Maya Neuman - Callahan & Associates, Inc.

In this session, we’ll explore examples of how credit unions leverage the cooperative model to overcome challenges and find success. We’ll provide curated case studies to examine how collaboration can take place in all areas of an institution, spanning personnel, back-office operations, third-party vendors, and other critical areas impacting the industry. This session will inspire ideas for additional collaboration and spark discussion for all attendees to think differently in how they approach their role in the institution.

Branding is more than changing a few brochures or redesigning a newsletter. A true comprehensive branding program takes years to develop and impacts the entire organization. Your credit union needs a powerful brand to differentiate itself in today's marketplace. Mark provides practical information on what to do and what not to do with your credit union’s brand, covering areas such as:

Maintaining Brand Consistency & Momentum

Lovemarks & Emotional Branding

Gaining Staff Buy-In

Brand Leadership in the 21st Century

Students gain a core understanding of:

How to build a brand.

How to live a brand.

How to energize a brand.

Business & Technology Trends & Innovations: How Credit Unions Can Compete to Win!

Mark Sievewright – Sievewright & Associates

Mark reviews and discusses the primary business and technology trends that are shaping the future of financial services. He includes case studies, as well as an overview of recommended strategies and tactics, that can help Credit Unions "Compete to Win!" in the markets in which they operate. Mark provides perspectives on consolidation, convergence, member focus, delivery channels, the regulatory environment, product strategy, along with technology trends and opportunities.

Students dive into Callahan's Peer-to-Peer tools and resources, garnering insights as they prepare to develop a strategic business plan for their own credit union.

Through Peer-to-Peer, students have the opportunity to compare their own credit union to individual credit unions and banks, customized peer groups, and industry averages. The benchmarking possibilities are nearly limitless since Peer includes all the data points from the NCUA 5300 and FDIC call reports, not to mention numerous Callahan-created ratios that provide an even deeper look into your performance.

The multitude of filters provided help users make the most relevant comparisons possible. Display the information in a customized format, exporting data for the next board meeting or planning session. With Peer, you always know where your credit union stands.

Callahan Peer-to-Peer Analysis: Introduction (Mid-Year)

Sam Taft & Maya Neuman - Callahan & Associates, Inc.

In this session, students are introduced to Callahan’s Peer-to-Peer analytics software. During the course, they will learn how to:

Navigate the software

Create custom peer groups based on specific financial and geographic criteria, and

Utilize the software’s hundreds of built-in benchmarks, graphs and tables for their analysis.

Whether it’s communicating with staff, with a board of directors, or with members, great leaders are going to be great communicators. The first part of being a great communicator is being a good listener, learning to understand the needs and ideas of others. The second part of being a great communicator is being good at packaging what you say. There are lots of ways to get your message across, but often because of busy-ness, laziness, or just not knowing any better, we settle for ways that may not effectively convey our meaning. Finally, the best communicators cultivate effective communication skills in others.

Pre-Arrival Assignment: Complete the Leadership Communication Survey.

Credit Union (Cyber) Security Issues

Idrees Rafiq – Credit Union Resources, Inc.

Today’s credit union is faced with an increased responsibility to exercise measures to ensure the security of its tangible assets, in addition to its non-tangible assets such as member and proprietary information. As a result, security needs to be ingrained into the organizational culture of every credit union and involved with every aspect of daily operations. Idrees draws on his vast background to update students on topics such as:

How easy it is to be breached - identifying security threats, and trends.

Tips and strategies to defend against security attacks like hacking and social engineering.

Managing and mitigating risk.

Physical, administrative, and technical security as described in NCUA Regulation 748 Appendix A and B.

Identifying regulatory and compliance related to security.

Credit Union Investments Portfolio Management (Mid-Year Course)

Steven Houle, CFA, FRM - Catalyst Corporate FCU

Even though loan growth has dominating credit union balance sheet trends over the last four years, investment portfolio management remains critical to earnings, liquidity and risk management. Having, an basic understanding of investments is critical for students.

Through class discussion and a case study, Steven will cover:

Credit union investment trends

Permissible investments & security analysis

Investment portfolio strategies

Credit Union Philosophy: People Helping People

Gina Evans, CUDE – Credit Union of America

"People helping people" is the philosophy of cooperation that credit unions were founded upon. Gina takes the students on a trip through time to gain a core understanding of this philosophy. Next, she challenges students to take today's evolving financial services landscape into the credit union of the future, covering:

The Future of our Cooperative Spirit – Envisioning the future and achieving excellence through innovation and change.

Credit Union Strategic Issues: Student Presentations

SCMS Faculty Team & Alumni

Each third year student determines his or her audience – preparing to present as if addressing the credit union:

Board of Directors

Management Team

The student's mission is to simulate a real business environment and engage the audience by covering one key strategic element from his or her strategic business plan. The objective is to give a presentation to gain “buy in” as to why the strategic element is important to the credit union and / or to acquire funding.

Presentation Format:

Time: Minimum 15 minutes, maximum 20 minutes - plus 5 minutes for questions and answers. The stated time factors may be adjusted to allow for class size, availability of reviewers, and time constraints.

Minimum of one audio-visual element.

Attire: Business Professional

When students are not presenting, they are to take the roll as an audience member seriously. If in your classmate’s environment, what might you want to know? What questions do you have about the issue presented? Do the recommendations sound important and reasonable for the credit union?

Presentation Room Set-Up: Each presentation group room has a podium, LCD projector, and white board. Student planning to use remote controls need to bring their own.

Students choosing to do a PC-based presentation should bring their presentation on disk or memory stick. (Be sure to have backup copies on disc and laptop. Some students get creative, network, and even back up each other's presentation.)

Students have the opportunity to see several samples before their third year.

Credit Unions, Start Your Growth Engines (New Course)

Julie Ferguson - JRF Consulting Services, LLC

In this interactive, engaging course, we’ll explore how transforming your sales and business development culture can eliminate pit stops to strategic growth. Develop your team’s sales skills while tapping into new ideas on lead generation to attract your credit union’s target market. Ferguson will provide the tools needed to transition order takers into proactive partners, who value building enduring relationships to fuel your credit union’s growth engine.

“Design thinking” is a solution-based way of approaching problems, people, and even life itself. Kevin incorporates a series of exercises designed to help students view their institutions from a new perspective, including an introduction to product management principles like competitive analysis and the crafting of value propositions. Students will also learn how to increase their capacity for insight, and study its role as a foundation for innovative action. The course also includes a personal case study that emphasizes the value of digital services in today’s financial services market, and considers the implications for small- to mid-sized credit unions.

During this course, students will:

Study basic Design Thinking principles and discuss how to apply them in a credit union environment

Examine how insight is formed and learn how “insight mining” can be used to solve business problems

Experiment with competitive analysis methods and the creation of value propositions

A number of courses are spread across a two year period to explain expectations and help students complete their school project – a three-year strategic business plan based on each student’s own credit union.

The project is divided into sections for completion over a two-year period. The sections include (but are not limited to):

In a hands-on lab environment, students have the opportunity to use their credit union’s historical information and an Excel spreadsheet application to develop 2 years of:

Projected balance sheet

Income statement

Reconcile of Allowance for Loan and Lease Loss account

Resulting financial ratios

Students also review objectives, strategies, tactical action steps, and cost-benefit analysis requirements to complete the Financial Management Strategic Initiative. A team of credit union professionals are on-hand to provide individual assistance.

Reviews requirements for the Financial Management Strategic Initiative (FMSI) of the SCMS project

Internal analysis

Objectives, strategies, and tactical action plans (TAPs)

Cost benefit analysis (CBA) process

Appropriate topics for objectives, strategies, and TAPs

Submission and approval procedures

Instructs on how to complete the projections process

Use Excel Projection spreadsheet

Integrating impact of all five Strategic Initiatives into projection results

Two-year projection of balance sheet, income statement, key ratios

Submission and approval procedures

Driving Your Data Analytics Strategy (New Course)

Naveen Jain - CULytics

New course - under construction.

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)

Michael D. Kloiber - Tinker FCU

With attacks coming from all directions, protecting member financial resources is a primary responsibility with an ever-growing scope. Risk is consuming more and more of the focus from the highest levels of the credit union. During this course, Mike provides industry insights and expertise as he:

Provides a working definition of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM).

Identifies risk issues.

Discusses establishing a ERM program, including implementation and operation.

Essentials of Negotiation: Negotiate Your Way to Success

Dr. Shannon Shipp - Texas Christian University

Shannon uses discussion and exercises to illustrate:

4 Goals of Negotiation

How to Encourage Subsequent Negotiations

Bad Negotiating Outcomes

7 Rules for Negotiating

BATNA

When to “Get the Boss Involved:

Role of Reciprocity

Special Issues

Gender Differences & Strategies

And, more.

Ethics is NOT an Option

Dr. Shannon Shipp - Texas Christian University

Ethical decision-making by senior executives is constantly in the news. Customers and regulators expect ethical action by credit unions. During this course, Dr. Shipp discusses ways to anticipate and manage ethical dilemmas in a credit union context. The focus is on making ethical decisions in areas that are not required by law or specified by state or federal regulation.

Case studies and class discussions are incorporated to address:

How to be an ethical decision-making role model

How to train others to make ethical decisions

How to establish an ethical workplace

Students leave the course with an ethical decision making process.

Financial Management Simulation

Craig Piercy - University of Georgia

The Credit Union Management Simulation is a group exercise in financial decision making. Each team acts as the management of a simulated credit union and devotes attention to making various decisions during a sequence of simulated time periods. Thus, many years of operation can be simulated in a short period of time giving participants a sense of cause and effect of their decisions.

The simulation is designed to:

Provide top management decision-making experience.

Help you develop an appreciation of how key financial and economic variables interact.

Enhance your ability to use financial statements.

Provide a risk-free environment for experimenting with alternative policies.

Finding Your Voice as a Leader: Your Personal Leadership Journey

Micheal Walls – CUNA Mutual Group
Greg Inman, CCUE - Neighbors FCU

As a leader, future or present, it is important to know how you will lead and what your personal brand will be. During this interactive course, students are guided through the development of their own “Leadership Story”. They will be able to capture their personal mission, vision, guiding principles and words to live by. In addition, learning ways to build a story that can be told to others, capturing the key aspects of personal leadership philosophies and values.

Governance & Credit Union Board/Management Relations

Robert Hamer
Retired President/CEO, Mobiloil FCU

Good governance relates to consistent management of the credit union. Consistency is accomplished by:

You’ve attended the classes, prepared the two-year strategic business plan, and developed a tremendous network. Now the real work begins. It’s time to give your credit union a return on its investment (if you haven’t already). Work the plan by becoming a champion and forming the team to implement your strategies!

A well-crafted plan sitting on a shelf or idle in a computer has no value. Make it come alive:

Communicate the Plan

Know the Stakeholders, Identify Your Champions, and Create Ownership

Keep Planning Forward – Success is a Journey not a Destination

Know How to Read the Environmental Tea Leaves and Change or Skirt Direction

As we survive life’s challenges, we come face-to-face with fear and uncertainty. Challenges may allow us to step out of our comfort zone and push ourselves above and beyond our own self-limitations. What makes us, is how we choose to overcome challenges. It’s our strength in times of difﬁculty that prove our character and self-worth. As Hoffman shares her experiences of being on a reality show, she’ll encourage you to think about how you decide to survive each day. She will inspire you to think about six words to develop your survival skills. With six simple words, you can take on any challenge with which you are faced. Adversity is not so much contending with problems as it is learning more about who we really are, and what is inside of us. Join Hoffman and explore true survival skills.

The primary purpose of this program is to understand and experience the fundamental leadership requirements guiding strategic change within your credit union. Because successful innovation is ultimately measured by execution and accountability, our program is fully anchored in pragmatic applications including numerous case studies to illustrate different leadership skills.

Course Objectives:

To explore your unique individual leadership attributes and understand how those might differ from others.

To establish a rubric for understanding the five different talents you must have to be successful.

Focus on your professional development and challenge you to consider the legacy your leadership will leave.

In the information age, communication is survival and those who master oral communication skills command the respect of their peers and climb the leadership ladder. The ability to present yourself as a competent communicator increases with each step on that ladder. The primary purpose for this session is to develop confidence in your oral communication skills necessary to be a successful executive.

Course objectives:

To know the five steps for preparing every oral presentation you will ever make.

To be personally coached in your oral communication skills.

To be prepared for your oral presentation of strategic elements from your business plan project; and

To know how to handle with confidence a variety of situations that face the presenter when before an audience.

Millie Mayaka presents the second part of this course during mid-year classes, providing additional insights to help students prepare for their strategic issue presentations.

Preparing for the Unthinkable: Credit Union Safeguards for Today's Branches

Michael A. Petrone, CFE, CFSA - CUNA Mutual Group (CMG)

Tragic events in our communities involving workplace safety and physical security are forcing organizations of all types, including credit unions, to prepare for unthinkable situations. Unfortunate and traumatic events related to robberies and active shooter incidents are unpredictable and evolve quickly.

During this class, Mike shares important components related to credit union and staff preparation, planning and training. He also covers internal controls, technologies, and action steps to consider as you prepare for tomorrow.

Moving up the career ladder, survival requires today’s leaders to know how to adapt and how to adapt their credit unions to transformational changes in the consumer climate. Nothing is secure. Planning is subject to more disruption than stability.

Do you simply comply with the federal regulations that govern diversity and inclusion, complimented with an annual training video for each employee to view? Have you assessed the value of building diverse teams to catapult your innovative ideas?

Obtaining real diversity and inclusion ultimately depends upon the strength of the organizations investment and leadership’s commitment to creating sustainable and inclusive objectives. Many companies understand the legal requirements, but fail to recognize the advantages of putting these issues broadly on their agendas. A robust D, I, & E plan can positively affect talent acquisition, talent procurement, and marketplace engagement.

Students have the opportunity to play the role of a Federal Reserve Bank president in one of the aspects of an FOMC meeting: the policy go-round and Fed Funds rate and asset purchases recommenda­tion. After discussing the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate (maximum employment and stable prices) and reviewing macroeconomic data, students will read and evaluate the anecdotal information contained in the Beige Book. Then, students analyze current economic conditions, assessing possible economic, financial and international risks; recommending a monetary policy response.

Technology has been redefining how credit unions interact with members for more than half a century. In their turn, ATMs, IVR systems, the internet, and mobile devices each allowed financial institutions to engage users in revolutionary new ways. Now, new technologies are threatening to reshape the foundation of financial services again. This wave of digital innovation is bringing with it new competitive forces and emerging legislative changes that will amplify its power. This technological, competitive, and regulatory tsunami will alter the financial services landscape for years to come. What do credit unions need to do today to ensure they are still viable tomorrow?

During this course, students will:

Understand how technology has altered (and will continue to alter) our daily lives;

Evaluate the role new competitors are playing in the financial services market;

Learn how recent domestic and international regulatory initiatives will reshape digital services;

Consider how these changes will undermine key elements of financial institutions’ traditional value proposition; and

Throughout the ages, leaders have been charged with the responsibility to motivate, influence, and enable others to attain results that defy their own perceptions of what is possible. How do leaders of social change ignite passion for a vision greater than themselves, challenge the status quo, engage the heart, and encourage the follower? It all starts with the Power of One or what Dr.Troy” calls The Nehemiah Principle.